The Legend of the Golden Boat: Regulation, Trade and Traders in the Borderlands of Laos, Thailand, China and Burma

After an historical overview of the upper-Mekong region this book provides four case studies that illustrate the growth in cross Mekong trade over the past decade. The case studies examine cross river boat operators, long distance truck and boat operators, long distance traders and the export trade in Lao timber. My favorite was the study of long distance traders, which illustrates how Lao women have come to play an important part in this trade. The study of cross river boat operators is also a detailed ethnographic account of life on the border. The theoretical perspective on regulation (while I did not agree with it at times) provides a productive new approach to the study of national borders. The author's claim that open borders can be more regulated that the closed borders they have replaced is bound to spark some interesting debate. This is a valuable book for those with an interest in the Mekong region, borders and the ethnography of northern Thailand and Laos.